Loving, Relating and Encouraging: We Can Do It!

A Word from SOTH Member and LRE Ministry Coordinator Jamie Blankenship about our new ministry of "calling and caring" on those with whom we've lost relationship.

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Loving Relating Encouraging: Our Church Family

Wouldn’t just be great if we all could be all that we can be through Christ, today? Right now?

I mean, what would the world look like if every person was living at their best potential in Christ? It would be pretty amazing.

Heck, it would be pretty amazing if people could maintain this through one rush hour in traffic!

We all fall short. We all struggle. But, at Shepherd of the Hills UMC, we are all on the path of life together.

What if, as we walk along this path together, our comrades fade? What if a friend in Christ disagrees with us? What if a brother or sister in Christ decides the path is too steep to keep going and they need a “break”? What if one of our friends decides they just don’t want us on their path? What if someone in our church family is too depressed to walk with us because they have lost hope?

Do we just let them fade away?

I don’t think so.

But, I also sometimes don’t want to know if someone doesn’t want me on their path. That could really hurt me. I don’t want to get in their business, that may offend them.

Of course, I would hate to think that one of my friends was stumbling on OUR path, and no one stopped to lift them up. That would be the worst.

Why? Not everyone will like me. We are not called to liked by all. That is something every person has to accept at one time or another.

Some people may not welcome me, but checking on a friend to see if they are ok isn’t the worst thing I could ever do to them. I think they will respect this act of friendship and concern, even if they don’t like it, because they know we are called to love each other in Christ. But ignoring them? I am positive that is the worst thing that can happen.

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble.

Ecclesiastes 4:10

Please come out TONIGHT and learn the best way to reach out to members that are missing from our path. Their reason for fading away is unimportant. Our reason for going to them is ultimately important.

See you tonight at 6:00 at The Ranch!